Imperio
by Professor Pang
Summary: After the war, everyone would be happy forever after, right? Even Remus and Tonks, who survived. But when Remus leaves Tonks for another woman, what can possibly have happened? The answer starts to reveal fifteen years later... AU story. I don't own anything, only the idea. Rated T for upcoming violence.
1. Prologue

Kingsley Shacklebolt sighed.

There had been fourteen years since the war ended. There had been fourteen years since Harry defeated Voldemort.

Everything was good, as good as can be, except one thing.

Everyone had expected Remus and Nymphadora Lupin to live happily forever after with their son Teddy after the war.

No one had expected what had happened.

Remus Lupin had left his family once again – this time for a whole different reason than the times before.

He had met another woman.

He had explained calmly to Dora – Dora, who'd gave up so much, offered so much because of her love for him – that he didn't love her anymore. That he wanted to start a new life with this new woman. The shocked Metamorphmagus had asked; what about their son? What about Teddy? Didn't his son mean anything to him?

No, the werewolf had answered.

The next day, the only proof that Remus Lupin had once been in their life was filed divorce papers on the kitchen table.

Kingsley shook his head. The old Tonks they all knew had disappeared the same moment Remus Lupin said that he didn't love her. She hadn't let go of her son Teddy for a second, holding him tightly to her chest as she asked Kingsley to transfer her somewhere, anywhere.

Of course, Kingsley hated the idea. Tonks was the best Auror in the squad. But he knew better than to argue with a heartbroken, single-mother Nymphadora. And so Tonks and Teddy had moved to the United States.

The transfer had technically been a success. Even the wizards and witches in Britain had heard about the best Auror in the US's squad – Nymphadora Tonks. She put all her energy down on Teddy and work, but when Teddy went to Hogwarts, and she was alone on the other side of the ocean, she cried herself to sleep.

Kingsley knew this because Dora had no one else to tell. She didn't want to confide in Molly anymore since that would just remind her of her and Remus. Second, Kingsley was the only one who came to the States sometimes, to 'check that his Auror was doing her job'. Read; listen to said Auror's complaints.

It had been this way for years now. Everyone missed Tonks, everyone wanted to see Teddy, and no one had seen Remus for about ten years. Kingsley knew that Dora desperately wanted to see everyone again, but she knew that Britain would painfully remind her of Remus. Following Teddy to King's Cross two times a year was hard enough.

But all of this was going to change.


	2. It begins

Kingsley leaned back in his chair. As much as he loved being Head of the Auror Department – a post that had originally been for Tonks – the paperwork sucked.

Suddenly, the young studying witch from St. Mungos burst into the room. She was with the Aurors for a few weeks to see what kind of injuries a Healer was to deal with.

"Mr. Shacklebolt!"

"What is it, Jane?"

"It's… your friend, Remus Lupin. He's at Mungos' and I think you might be interested in his current condition…"

Jane had certainly been right. Very right indeed.

Kingsley was very interested in Remus' current condition.

Traces of the Imperius-curse.

Signs of psychical struggle and damaged brain.

Kingsley heard a wail outside the door and rolled his eyes. This was the first time he'd met the new Mrs. Lupin, Sarah Lupin, but meeting her had only strengthened the dislike he already had for her.

The woman was nothing like Nymphadora Tonks, and he couldn't understand why Remus would prefer Sarah.

There was no sign of Dora's courage or braveness. While Dora would've put on a brave face and sat by her husband's side if he'd been hit by a car, Sarah was crying her eyes out in the corridor.

No sign of Dora's bright taste, either. Sarah was dressed in grey, white and black colours.

What had gotten into Remus, really?


	3. At Tonks'

** Tonks' POV**

"Tonks! Tonks? Nymphadora!"

I woke up as I heard a familiar voice call out my name. Why would Kingsley be here at twelve in the evening? I had just managed to finally fall asleep.

I pulled a sweater on and walked out to the living room zombie-style. I found Kingsley's head in my fireplace, looking positively shocked.

"Bloody hell King, why are you here?"

"I need to tell you something, Tonks."

"I figured as much, since you're here at midnight."

He snorted. "Funny. Can I come in?"

"Sure, I'll go get something to drink." I walked into the kitchen and made two cups of hot chocolate.

I found King on the couch, and I gave him one cup and sat down in the armchair. "What is it you need to tell me?"

He sighed. "It's about Remus."

I inhaled sharply, but quickly got a hold on myself and calmed down. "You know I don't want to hear about him. He abandoned us."

"I know. It's not like that."

"I don't want to bloody hear it, King!"

"But you have to, and if you don't I'll make you."

"Then bloody tell me and get over with it," I said through clenched teeth.

"Remus was hit by a car today."

I clenched my fists. I couldn't help that I still loved Remus, still cared for him. "That's all?"

He shook his head. "No. The Healers found traces of the Imperius-curse."

I sat straight up and spilled chocolate all over myself and the couch.

"Scourgify," Kingsley said with a flick of his wand and it disappeared.

"Imperius? What else? Can they tell how long it's been there?" Who would ever have wanted to cast an Imperius on Remus after the Battle?

"He's only been there for a couple of hours, Tonks. But I'll be the first to know when find out. There were also signs of psychic struggle and damaged brain, but we don't know how bad it is."

I took a deep breath and didn't say anything.

Third POV

Suddenly, the flames in my fireplace turned brilliant green, and Harry Potter's head turned up in them.

"Wotcher, Harry!"

"Hey, Tonks," Harry smiled. "I thought I'd find you here, King. I need your help."

"What is it?"

"That woman… Sarah… she's worse than James, I swear! She's clinging to me and chattering a hole in my head!"

Kingsley groaned. "I know. That's part of the reason I left."

"And she's apparently dying to know where you went."

"Wait," Tonks interrupted. "Who is this Sarah?"

Kingsley's eyes darkened. "The new Mrs. Lupin. I swear Remus wasn't in his right mind when he married her."

Tonks face fell, and her eyes were like deadly clouds of thunder.

Harry's sympathetic face suddenly disappeared with a startled "Whoa!"

"Where did he go?"

He returned, panting. "She actually pulled me out of the fireplace! Can I come in? And put the fire out?"

"Please do," Tonks said and raised her wand to put the fire out.

Harry's body followed his head out of the fireplace – but that wasn't the only thing following.

A black haired woman in a white tunic and black trousers and a grey handbag followed into Tonks' living room.

Harry turned around, furious. "I told you to stay in the office!"

She looked offended. "Well, both you and Shacklebolt went off to 'take care of some important matters', and if these matters have anything to do with Remus, I have the right to know them!"

The woman ended her tirade with a flick of her handbag.

Nymphadora felt a strong mix of the urge to laugh, and hatred.

"What are you doing here, anyway? Drinking hot chocolate with a blue-haired witch? Time for lunch break?"

Harry's calm façade slipped. "We're informing an important member of the team of the day's events, Sarah. Would you please leave us alone?"

She shook her head. "I have the right to be here, since it's about my husband."

Kingsley was getting really angry. "You do not have any right to be here! This is a talk between fellow Aurors!"

"And I'm the wife of the day's victim, and I will be here!"

Dora spoke up, her voice deadly. "Bloody hell you will. You will go right back into that fireplace."

"And who are you to tell me that?"

"I'm the owner of this house and the best Auror in the States, and if you're not gone from my house in ten seconds…"

Sarah looked at Kingsley and Harry. "Surely an Auror can't threaten a citizen like that?"

"Get the hell out of here!"

Sarah ignored the outburst. "Right?"

Harry clenched his teeth. "You better listen, Sarah. She could do some lasting damage."

Sarah straightened up, proud look on her face. "A witch as unprofessional as wearing blue hair certainly won't be able to damage a career witch like myself."

The Umbridge-like tone in her voice made Harry's blood boil, but Tonks reacted before he could.

"Stupefy."

Sarah's eyes threatened to pop out from her head as she froze, unable to move. Tonks flicked her wand and Sarah was levitated back into the fireplace. She turned the fire out.

Harry grinned. "I applaud your performance, Auror Tonks."

"Thank you," Tonks said and fake-bowed before sitting down.

A patronus came in and landed in front of Kingsley. It was a small dog. "Mr. Shacklebolt?" spoke Jane's voice. "We have found that the patient has been cursed for a little less then fifteen years, and been under control ever since. He fought hard to get out of it, and his trapped mind might have lasting injuries from his struggles."

Kingsley sent a patronus right back, asking; "Whom have you told this?"

Answer came immediately. "Only you, and his wife. She said that she was going to tell his son, who's at Hogwarts."

Tonks immediately flew out of her chair. "I'm going to Hogwarts right now. She's not going anywhere near Teddy. She can't possibly go there with only purpose to tell him in mind."

Kingsley and Harry nodded and stood up as well. "How little it actually took to get you back to Britain," Kingsley said and shook his head.

Tonks ignored him, waved her wand to change into her Auror-robes, apparated – and splinted.


	4. It begins even more

Teddy Tonks was confused. Professor Longbottom, the head of Gryffindor house, had come into his Hufflepuff dorm, and told him that a woman wanted to talk to him in the Great Hall. The only woman Teddy knew who would want to talk to him in the middle of the night would be his mother, but Neville knew her, so he wouldn't call her 'a woman'…

The woman turned out to be a black-haired woman who said that she was his father's wife. Teddy immediately decided that he didn't like her. His mother had told him everything about his Dad, and they both hated the woman who'd taken him from them.

The woman started talking with a sickly sweet voice. "Teddy, I'm sorry to interrupt your sleep, but something horrible has happened…" she blew her nose loudly. "…to your mother."

Teddy froze. No. No way. He knew his mother had a dangerous job, but surely Harry or someone would tell him…

"She… she was chasing some cri – criminals, and then – then – they pushed her off that cliff!"

"No," Teddy whispered, unable to move or take in what the woman was saying.

"She's dead, Teddy."

**oooooooooooooo**

Tonks sighed. Of course she would be the one to splint in a moment like this. As Kingsley and Harry were re-attaching her fingers, she jumped restlessly on the spot. What if Sarah had gotten to Teddy already?

"Done yet?" she asked without looking on her bloody hand.

"Sorry Tonks," Harry said. "This will take about half an hour more."

**oooooooooooooo**

Tears streamed down Teddy's cheeks freely, and he hugged his knees tightly to his chest. His mother couldn't be dead, she simply couldn't. His strong, pink-haired, cool, Auror-mother. His mum. His only parent. This couldn't be.

**oooooooooooooo**

Half an hour later, Tonks ran across the Hogwarts grounds towards the doors, Harry and Kingsley after her. As they opened, a surprised Neville Longbottom stood there.

"Bloody hell, Tonks! You're alive!"

"Of course I am! Where's Teddy?"

Neville stared blankly at her. "Remus' wife came here and told him that you had died in a mission and he had to come live with them. They left about fifteen minutes ago."

**Review?**


	5. The plot thickens only a little bit

**Tonks' POV**

I immediately sprang into action. "Kingsley, go back to the office and get her wanted in as much countries as possible for kidnapping a child."

"And supposed use of an unforgivable curse," Harry added.

I hadn't had time to think of that yet – what if the reason Remus had left us because he was under Imperius?

I shook my head. I couldn't think of that now – I couldn't afford to lose focus. Teddy, my child, were in danger. "Harry, you're coming with me."

Harry closed up beside me as Kingsley jogged off the grounds to apparate. I turned to Neville. "Exactly where did they disapparate?"

He pointed at a spot right outside the gates. "Around there, I think."

"Thanks."

Harry and I immediately used tracing-apparation and followed Sarah and Teddy.

We appeared beside a lake in a forest. There was no one in sight.

"Homenum revelio."

"Let's search for the next apparation point," Harry suggested. I nodded curtly.

It was Harry who found it. "Here, Tonks."

I could feel the lingering magic on the spot. I grabbed Harry's arm and disapparated again.

This time, we appeared into a small, shabby, unfurnitured cottage, seemingly in the midde of nowhere.

"Either she's insecure about where to go, or she's trying to confuse us," Harry said.

"Yeah," I agreed. "You're right."

A few minutes later, I felt a magical tingle in my legs as I walked over a spot in the corner of the room. I opened my mouth to tell him, but before I could get a word out, he shouted "I've found it!" from the middle of the room.

"So have I," I told him. "She probably had a companion here to help her make us loose track of her."

"What do we do?" Harry asked.

"We take one spot each," I answered impatiently.

"What if one of them is a trap?"

"It doesn't matter. If she's quick enough, the traces of apparation will be gone, and I we won't ever be able to find him." Tears prickled my eyes painfully.

Harry sighed. "Can't you just... just wait here while I apparate back and get Kingsley and Ron, or someone, okay? And we'll both have someone to go with, or someone to take the other spot."

"Quick," I growled. He nodded and apparated right away.

I walked around the room impatiently. I wanted to not care about Harry's words and apparate, but I knew that was the most stupd thing to do. So I paced.

As I saw a turqouise hair on the mat, I started to really cry. My boy, my Teddy, was being probably by force rapidly apparated to Merlin knows where, and was getting further away from me every moment.

...would a patronus be able to reach him? And how dangerous would it be to tell him something? She would be with him and hear whatever I told him...

I conjured my silver wolf patronus and sent it away with a silent "Good luck", just in time for Harry to appear with Kinglsey, Hermione and Ron. Hermione isn't an Auror, but as good as one, working for the Magical Law and Enforcement department. She mostly helps with the biggest cases with Harry and Ron, since those three works better together than anyone in the department.

They were sent away to the corner spot while Kingsley and I took the one in the middle of the room.

Another forest. I immediately started to search through it. Kingsley did the same until I found it. We apparated and -

...and we were back in the cottage. On the exact spot where Harry, Ron and Hermione had disappeared.

"We got the false one," Kingsley summone. "It was badly done."

"Mm. C'mon, let's follow the others." I raised my wand to apparate and Kingsley did the same.

A dry landscape of sand, cactuses and rocks was before us. I saw three people in the distance, two of them supporting the third. I ran forward.

It was Harry, Ron and a hurt Hermione. I stopped dead when I saw what Hermione was holding.

"What the _hell_ is that?"

"It's an arm," Kinglsey said with disgust as he slid to a stop beside me.

"What the bloody hell_ happened_?"

* * *

**Teddy's POV**

We sat on a muggle train. After she'd apparated to another forest to get away from Harry, Ron and Hermione, the woman refreshed her body-bind on me and apparated straight to a train station in London, where she disillusioned me, healed the wound of her missing arm, created an illusion of it and stepped on a train to Edinburgh.

It was all clear to me now. Firstly, mum wasn't dead. This is a traumatic day, mum has both died and gotten back alive.

Second, I know that they're searching for me. Harry Ron and Hermione the second group to look for me. I bet the first one was mum and Kingsley.

_She were levitating me over the desert towards a small tree. But before we reached it, a pang was heard and Harry, Ron and Hermione appeared. "There they are!" Ron shouted._

_With another pang, the were standing in front of us. _

_Apparently they had formed a plan. Harry went for me while Ron and Hermione started firing spells at her. _

_Harry took the body-bind off me and when his fingers were centimeters from where I'd fallen to the ground, she threw herself over me and apparated. I saw all of them lunging at her, Hermione getting a hold on her arm, and she fired a spell toward Hermione to get away from here before the darkness took over._

_I heard her cry of agony as her arm was left in Hermione's grasp._

During the ride, she got jumpier and jumpier. Nature calling, probably. She looked at me with a frown, and seemed to make a decision. We were alone in the compartment, so she tied me to my seat with invisible ropes and went for the loo.

I wished more than anything to break out of the body-bind and reach for my wand, and somehow contact mum.

But of course I couldn't.

Something white, shiny and familiar appeared in front of me.

Mum's werewolf patronus.

"Teddy? I'm not dead. Y'hear me? I'm not dead! I'm looking for you, honey. We all are. Please try to..." there was a small sob. "Please stay alive."

I tried to swallow.

"I don't know what she's going to do, but don't do anything which seems dangerous, okay? Act like dad would've, not me. Y'know what I mean. We're going to find you. I love you."

It disappeared just as she came back.

* * *

**Remus' POV**

"He's waking up! He's waking!"

Darkness.

Numbness.

_Fog_.

Where was I?

My mind were foggy, like I couldn't reach every part of it.

Who was I?

A name...

Lemus. My name was Lemus. Lemus Rupin.

I was a wolfwere.

Yes. I was a Lemus Rupin, wolfwere.

Who had I been?

I didn't know.

Pink.

I missed pink.

After that... nothing.

_Nothing_.

I started to open my eyes.

Unknown faces were bent to look at me intently.

"How are you feeling, mr. Lupin?" one of them asked.

Lupin? My name's Rupin!

"Pink."

Excuse me?"

"I want the pink."

**A bit of action! Review, pretty pretty please?**


	6. More plot thickening

**Remus' POV**

Pictures flashed past my inner eye. A black haired woman whispering _Remus_, and my own face automatically smiling. Something inside me told me that this woman made me smile.

Why? I wondered.

What about her made me smile?

_You love her_.

I did?

I do?

It didn't feel right. She didn't feel right.

A voice told me to stop that thinking, but I couldn't get it out of my head.

I wasn't sure I should get it out of my head.

Pink.

There it was again, the longing for pink. I'd recently discovered that I longed for something small and blue as well.

**oooo**

I stood on the Edinburgh train station where Sarah and Teddy was last seen, when a patronus matrialized beside me. It was in the middle of the night and no muggles in sight.

"Tonks, come here right now! _Hurry_!" Kingsley's voice urged me. The patronus would show me the way by letting me using it as an apparation point. I did so and appeared in the corridor of something which seemed like a hotel. Kingsley stood in a door opening.

"King, what's happened?" I asked worriedly.

"We've kind of found them. It seems like whoever put the Imperius on Remus also put some kind of extra-curse or charm on it, which warns this person whenever he remembers something or someone from his old life, and whenever that happens, the instruments we got from the Unspeakables catches the magic going through the air. The same moment the Healers said Remus started to talk about 'wanting pink', a magical signal was sent here, and I think they've been here." He gestured into the room, where I saw broken chairs and claw marks – and another turqouise hair. I doubt anyone else spotted that as fast as I did.

I gulped. Wanting pink? _Pink_? That would be me. So apparently Remus hadn't been in control of his mind when he left us...

**oooo**

As I broke through the surface of my own mind, I sat up rigidly and panted.

It looked like I was at St. Mungo's. Why was I in hospital? Had I had an accident?

"What am I doing here?" I asked out loud.

A Healer burst into the room. "Mr. Lupin! How are you feeling?"

"Perfectly fine," I answered. "Why am I here?"

He sat down beside my bed. "Before I can answer your questin, mr. Lupin, you have to answer some of mine. How old are you?"

"Thirty-eight," I answered confusedly. I felt older, though, my joints cracking even more than before. I suppose it was close to full moon.

"Do you know which year it is?"

"1998."

"Are you married?"

"Yes."

"May I know the name of you wife, mr. Lupin?"

"Nymphadora. She hates that name, though." I smiled at the mention of her. I wondered where she was.

"Do you have any children?"

"Yes, one. Teddy."

"And how old is he?"

"A couple of months. The brightest wizards of his age, I swear it." A proud smile grazed my face.

The Healer sighed and put the notes he'd been taking away. "I have to tell you something. Is it alright for me to call you Remus?"

I nodded wearily. "Has something happened to Dora and Teddy?"

He didn't answer my question. "Remus, it's not 1998. It's 2013."

"What? How – when – how come I think it's ?"

"Remus, a few months after the battle of Hogwarts, you went to Diagon Alley to buy Wolfsbane. Outside the Apotechary, someone was waiting for you. Can you remember that?"

"No."

"Hm. It was a black-haired woman, and the Aurors have recently found proof that she cast an Imperius-curse on you."

I gaped.

"You went home – under the curse – to tell your wife that you were leaving her and your son. You were gone shortly; you broke your contact of everyone, got the divorce done and disappeared. After gathering information we came to the conclusion that you were forced to marry this woman, Sarah Matthews. You lived somewhere in Brittain for about fifteen years, until you recently were hit by a car. You were taken here, and the Imperius curse on you was discovered. When told this, Sarah suddenly disappeared, saying she was going to tell your son. A teacher told us that she actually told Teddy that his mother was dead and that he was to come live with you. No one has seen them since."

My head span.

How... I'd left my family? Again? It hadn't been my choice this time, but I didn't dare imagine what Dora had been like...

"What happened when I left them? What happened to them?" I asked with a broken voice.

He looked at me symphatetically. "Miss Tonks turned up in the Auror office with her son and begged to be transferred somewhere. They've lived in America since then. She has only returned when getting Teddy to and from Hogwarts, up until now. She's here now, of course, leading the search for your son."

The Healer had been provided the whole story from all parties to be able to answer Remus' questions.

I breathed heavily. I'd truly been married to a woman I'd never met? I'd truly missed my son growing up? I'd missed spending fifteen years with my family?

Tears were sliding down my cheeks.

**oooo**

A great wave of light flashed out of the instrument from the Unspeakables. They flew into action, tapping the object repeatedly and urging us all to touch it. We did so, and it worked like a portkey.

We landed on a mountain. Windy and cold.

Another Unspeakable pulled out another instrument which was glowing strongly. "They're close. He must've gotten in control of his mind and remembered it all."

Then I saw them.

Teddy was levitated by her, stupified and with ropes around him. She was walking across the mountain top towards another cottage, looking around vigilantly. She hadn't seen us yet.

I immediately sprinted towards them -

Kingsley grabbed me around the waist and reigned me in.

"_Kinglsey_! Bloody _hell_, let me_ go_!"

"She'll see you, and she'll stupify you, and they'll escape again. People are already setting up anti-apparation wards, but if you run up there before they're done, she'll be gone again."

I gritted my teeth together, then dug my nails into Kingsley's arm as they entered the house.

I saw people starting to encircle the house. Kingsley kept his hold around me firmly still as he walked up there.

She hadn't closed the door yet. I could see her placing Teddy on the couch before walking back to close it.

And then she saw us.

Kingsley's voice rang out; "This is an Auror inestigation. Let go of your wand and surrender."

She fired a powerful curse Kingsley and mine's way.

I got myself out of his hold, deflected it and ran forward. She targeted me, and shot stronger and stronger hexes, curses and spells at me. I didn't try to fight back – I deflected them and ran. My mind was set on getting to Teddy.

As the other Aurors started duelling her to give me more time, I reached Teddy.

"_Renervate_! _Diffindo_!"

The ropes were cut and he broke out of the _stupefy_.

He flung himself at me and hugged me fiercely. Tears prickled my eyes as I pressed him to me and hugged him back tightly.

A powerful tug drew us into darkness.

**Review please? **

**I'm sorry if there was any math-errors, I'm not sure about my counting...**


	7. In a cell cheesy

I'd tried everything. I couldn't get out of the cell I'd woken up in, there was no way for me to find Teddy.

I sacked down onto the floor.

I groaned as I felt the pain in my limbs. Soaring pain, as if I'd been slammed into a wall.

It hadn't been my auror-colleagues who'd apparated us away from there – it had been Sarah, obviously to put me away. I could only pray she hadn't disappeared with Teddy again.

A blinding light suddenly hit my eyes.

Sarah's voice. "Enjoy yourselves."

A body slammed painfully into mine as the light disappeared with the slam of a door.

A body I could painfully remember.

A body I'd felt against my own a million times, a body I would always remember the feeling of.

"R – Remus?"

"_Dora_?"

His voiced woke painful memories inside me. _I don't love you anymore, Dora. I've met someone else._

But that hadn't been him. It hadn't been Remus.

_I'm leaving you._

It had been Sarah. She'd taken him away from us.

_I'm leaving. Bye, Dora._

"What is the last thing you remember, Remus?" It came out as a whisper.

He hadn't moved from the position he'd landed in. He whispered his answer as well. "Kissing you and Teddy goodbye when leaving for... somwhere."

His voice sounded just as broken as my own. "Diagon Alley."

"Diagon Alley."

I hadn't noticed the tears running down my cheeks. I sobbed.

"Dora, I'm... I'm sorry."

I almost laughed. A strangled sound left my throat, a mix of laughter and a sob. "For what? It was a bloody _Imperius-curse_, Remus. If you so much as dare blame yourself, I..."

I felt him hung his head. "You ought to have... gotten over me. By now."

Of course he'd detected my feelings in my voice, like so many years before.

"You idiot."

He was quiet.

"Would you have gotten over me, Remus?"

"No."

"Then what did you expect? That I had moved on and married someone else?"

"I couldn't expect anything, Dora. To me, the day I left was yesterday."

I suddenly gave in to the impulse I'd had since he was thrown into this cell. I threw myself into his arms and hugged him to me, sobbing. "I don't care what the papers say, Remus. To me, we'll always be married, no matter what." That sounded so bloody cheesy, but for once I didn't care.

I felt him bury his face in my hair. "To me, we were never apart."

I snorted. "The circustomances makes that sound a bit less romantic than it should have."

His rumbling chest as he laughed was such a welcomed feeling. I'd longed for this – for _him_ – for years.

Silence followed, he hiding his face in my – for the first time in fifteen years, pink (I had been able to change it after the first two years, but never to pink) – hair, and me hiding my own in his neck, breathing in his scent. I felt what I assumed was tears in my hair, but I made no comment on it.

No matter how relieved I was, being back with Remus, the thought of Teddy lurked in my mind constantly. But we _couldn't_ get out.

Remus broke the silence. "Dora... what is Teddy like?"

A fresh wave of tears welled up in my eyes. "You should see him, Remus, he's so much like you. Except he's a Hufflepuff. But I know you'd be so proud of him."

More wet met my scalp. "I wish I could have seen him grow up. I wish I knew him." I could hear the crying in his voice now, and I tightened my arms around him.

"What have you told him about me?"

"Everything. I told him everything – how we met and eveything on from that... He knows everything about you that I know. He's not angry at you for leaving, he's just sad. Really sad."

More silence.

"Dora... I understand if you can't get back to where we were. I _hurt_ you, _again_, do you really want to give me another chance?"

I heaved myself to a sitting position, staring at where I assumed his face was. "I stayed faithful to you for fifteen years, Remus. Fifteen _divorced_ years. Forgiving will take time, but you're not the one to forgive. You've nothing to be forgiven for. There's no another chance – you're still at the same chance I gave you after Dumbledore's death."

A pair of hands pulled me down to his level. "You're far too forgiving for your own good," he muttered as he pressed me to his chest tightly.

"You have nothing to be forgiven for," I protested. "Stop saying there is."

He laughed quietly again. "Whatever you say, Dora."

**AN: This was a really cheesy (and short) chapter, I know, but I really wanted Remus and Dora to make up before I did anything else. If anyone wants to tell, I'd like to hear your theories on why you think Sarah is doing this (and how she should be punished)? Pretty please, and please review.**


	8. A chance of something

**Teddy's POV**

Teddy had woken up in a cell. There was a bench, cold hard stone floor, and a door made of old, damp wood. Teddy had tried to break through the breaking door, but it stood its ground. He was exhausted, and he sat leaning against the wall, repeatedly swallowing to keep his mouth from going too dry. He was so thirsty.

The only source of light in the cell came from a tiny crack in a stone closest to the floor. Teddy sat as close to it as he could get without covering the light.

He wondered where his mother was. He'd been relieved as never before when she found him, but she'd disappeared just as quickly again...

He was angry. He was angry with Sarah.

In a sudden rush of intense anger, he got up and rushed towards the door.

A tiny hole broke through where his shoulder had hit it.

Teddy stared at it for a few seconds; and then quickly started using his fingers to make the hole bigger. The wood gave in, and soon the hole was big enough for him to crawl through it.

He tried to be as quiet as he could as he brought one foot out; onto the floor on the other side.

He stood absolutely still.

Nothing happened.

He ducked his head under the edge and let the second foot follow through.

He stood on the floor outside the cell, still as a rock.

No alarm went off, no one came running to catch him.

Out here there was a very old lamp hanging from the ceiling, and the whole corridor was made of stone. A bit to the right he could see a stone stair leading upstairs. He started silently walking towards it, and still nothing happened.

**OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

**Tonks' POV**

I'd all but given up to ever seeing Teddy again. I sat beside Remus slumped against the wall in the cell. Having him here was the best comfort I could ever have; but he didn't help the aching spot in my chest.

We were both immensily hungry, and distracted ourselves by me telling Remus stories about Teddy.

I'd just finished telling him about the letter I got from Teddy after his sorting, when I heard a voice outside our door.

"Mum?"

I drew my breath sharply. It couldn't be – it was just me imagining it. I was missing Teddy so much I was making up hearing him calling for me.

"Dora, did you hear that?"

I stared at Remus, who was wearing a puzzled expression. "Y'heard it too?"

"Of course I did!"

Then we heard it again. "Mum? Is that you?"

_It might be a trick_, I thought before getting up to my feet. "Teddy?"

"Mum!" His voice sounded so relieved, in that moment I knew it was him.

"Remus, _it's him_!" I rushed to the door and started kind of scratching on it, pushing it, anything to make it give in. "Teddy, are you alright?"

"Is Re-... is dad in there?"

Remus looked quite pale.

"Yeah he is, but we don't have time to talk about that now. We'll talk about it later, promise. Where have you been and how did you get here?"

Remus joined me in my pushing the door.

"I woke up in a cell, but it was an old cell, so I could break through the door without too much trouble. I walked up here and heard your voice trough the door."

"Have you seen anyone? Is it a prison, or a manor, what is it? Are there any signs of anybody living here?"

"No, just empty walls with doors. They all seem like cells."

"Okay. Do you have your wand on you?"

Both Remus and I had our wands, but there had been a spell placed upon the cell, making us unable to use magic inside.

"Yeah, why? I don't think _Alohomora_ will work."

"Have you tried using any kind of magic?"

"I used a Lumos spell as soon as I got out, mostly to make sure somebody knew where I was – I've got the trace on me, so Kinglsey and the others should know where we are now, right?"

A pang of pride in my chest. I hadn't even thought of that. "You're _bloody brilliant_, Ted. I hadn't even thought of that. Now I need you to do something – this is a hard spell, but it may get us out."

"I'll do my best," he said, sounding quite proud.

"The thing is, it's a none-verbal spell, which you shouldn't even be able to do until next year." I bit my lip. With Remus' talent he might be able to do it. "You can overdo the motions, it mostly makes it more powerful. Swing your wand from your left to your right like a sword, then over your head, then point it at the door with definition, like you're sending a doom over it or something. In your head, think as powerful as you can; _Reducto Maxima_. That's usually a verbal spell, but this is a special one we learnt in Auror training, and much more powerful. Got it all?"

He sounded doubtful now. "I'll try."

"I want you to concentrate on the motions and the words. C'mon. You can do it, I know it."

I heard his wand _swish_ing through the air.

"Nothing happened," he declared.

"Try again honey, take as many tries as it takes."

He kept going for minutes, and still nothing happened.

That was when Remus decided to kick in.

"Teddy?"

Teddy sounded frustrated. "Yes?"

"Start out just mumbling the words and concentrate on the motions. When you're totally sure about them, close your mouth and _then_ concentrate on the words."

Teddy did it after three tries.


	9. Finally

**AN: If you're still here, reading, after all this time, THANK YOU. I love you. I'm really sorry that I have been gone for basically forever. I'm going to make this a kind of (TERRIBLY SHORT) temporary ending, which means that it _is_ an ending, but if I want to make more chapters someday, I will still be able to.**

Out of the cell, there was an awkward greeting of Teddy and Remus. Then we decided that a proper "we're all together again" could be arranged later, put on the best disillusions Remus and I could manage, and started making our way out. It was a bloody maze down here, but we could hear distant shouting from what must be the outside.

In the end, we reached a window and broke it. A loud alarm went off but no one came, and we climbed out to be greeted by most of the Auror squad, seemingly in the middle of a capturing.

A wide grin covered my face when I saw that they were all using the same spell to keep Sarah under a strong _Petrificus Totalus_. I wondered how she was so strong, but at the moment I didn't care – I was too busy hugging Remus and Teddy at the same time.

**AN: Told you it'd be short! Thank you so much for reading this story. Again, I love you. I'm going to do my best to at least get a little piece of their happy-ever-after published sometime.**


	10. To be continued

Awkwardness was constantly present in our daily life, of course, but I wouldn't let Remus out of my sight ever again. He lived with us now, and we have moved back to Britain as fast as possible. The welcome feast Molly had prepared was amazing, and everyone I hadn't seen in so long was there. It was amazing, and I couldn't believe that it was real.

Teddy and Remus were working on getting to know each other, and I would say they were making great progress. They were having quite deep discussions already. From dawn to dusk, they would chatter my ears off. Not that I complained. Teddy would go back to Hogwarts in another week, and we were spending as much quality time together as possible. Remus was more tired than I'd ever seen him - what with the nonstop talking and me keeping him up all night for _more_ talking - but also more happy than I had ever seen him.

Remus was overjoyed to be with his son again, and Teddy was jubilant to have his son back. My two boys were happy, and as I was I. And no matter how exhausted we all were, I wouldn't have it any other way.

**AN: HI ALL YOU SEXY READER BASTARDS! IMPORTANT INFO! I will not reveal all the reasons to you (but if you're interested just ask in the reviews or PM me I'd love sharing) but I am back and shipping Remadora more than ever! 'Imperio' will most certainly go on, in one form or another. Either I will continue from here or I will do a sequel! Most probably the sequel though. Follow me and keep an eye out for 'Imperio 2; Crucio' or something like it. It will probably kick off from either Molly's welcome feast or when Teddy leaves for Hogwarts. Because Remus', Dora's and Teddy's problems can't be over, can they? No. I'll let you in on an authorial secret; _Sarah Matthews escaped the aurors on the way to Azkaban_.**

**Now, REVIEW! On the whole story, whatever you want!**


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